Equipment Refresh for Someone Who Has Been Out of the Loop for... a while...

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Equipment Refresh for Someone Who Has Been Out of the Loop for... a while...

I've had an itch to start playing more recently and would like to modernize my setup a little bit and honestly have no idea where to start anymore. Current setup is 2 1200's and a Denon x1500 mixer. I'd like to throw in a digital system but am a bit overwhelmed...

I'm good with the 1200's; I don't really care about adding a CDJ or controller at the moment - so I need time control vinyl, some sort of audio interface and software. Here is where I get lost. I'm at least vaguely familiar with Traktor & Serato as options, but I know there are several other choices out there. Musically I tend to lean towards techno, acid, and hardcore/gabber with the occasional house/disco/random thrown in, but no scratching or turntablism.

The big question so far is do I need a Traktor specific audio interface (e.g. Audio 6) to use Traktor Software, or will any interface work (i.e. can I use rekordbox dvs with Traktor software or Audio 6 with Rekordbox)? Same general question for any specific software/interface combo.

You need a Traktor certified audio interface to use Traktor Scratch. That can be a mixer, like the Z2, Controller like the S8, or audio interface like the Audio6. There are also third party mixers that work with Traktor Scratch, like the Xone:PX5.

For Traktor you'll need a Traktor certificated mixer or NI interface to use it with DVS. With the Audio8DJ officially not being supported anymore the Audio 6 is the latest interface you can get from NI.

I've been using my Audio8DJ with Rekordbox and Pioneers control vinyl and it works. So yeah, you can use Audio 6 with Rekordbox but you'll need to buy a separate license for Rekordbox DJ and the DVS plus pack. I tried Rekordbox DVS with Traktor's control vinyl and it didn't feel as tight (translating the movement of the vinyl to the software).
You won't be able to use a Pioneer or Serato (Denon/Rane brand) audio interface with Traktor.

There is one question you need to ask yourself. Will you be looking to DJ on CDJ/XDJ in the future? This can be because you're asked to play in a club.
If the answer is yes I recommend going with Rekordbox. It gives you the easiest integration with the industry standard equipment. You'll be prepping tracks in Rekordbox making thing smoother in the club for gigs and less hassle to set up cue points and loops between platforms. They made some major improvements to their software and came out with Interface 2 less than a year ago for the DVS minded folks. Before that you needed to use a Pioneer mixer to get Rekordbox DVS experience.

Serato is a good option as well since you have turntables. In my opinion it appears to be geared more toward to those that apply various forms of turntablism in their mixes but it's one of the best in terms of DVS stability. I would only consider Serato if you're planning to get a DJ controller or a new mixer.

Traktor is the other alternative with a stable DVS platform and years of experience. Though many feel they have been slipping. I've read a few posts across the web of people moving away from the platform to Serato and Rekordbox.
A month or two ago NI announced they were working on their next Traktor version which is built from scratch. Aiming for a late 2018 release. They're still a good pick if you just focus on the core (mixing a song from A to B).

One good alternative is Denon. In the last year or so they have been creating bridges to the other major players on the market. Allowing integration of Traktor and Rekordbox. Which results in having cue points and loops be copied over. If I'm correct you'll need one of their media players though.

Then you have the odds balls like MsPinky, MixVibes, VirtualDJ 8 and djay.
The last one being the strongest of the bunch as they have Spotify integration. So no need to catch up with your music purchases. djay however doesn't have a DVS platform.

In your case I would personally go with Rekordbox and add a sampler to get the most out of it. Or get a newer mixer than you currently have like the Rane SEVENTY-TWO, Pioneer DJ DJM-S9 or Rane Sixty-Two where Serato DJ Pro comes bundled with. Having pads on your mixer is adding a new dimension to your sets.

At the moment I'm not looking for any type of CDJ or really to play out much, more just to entertain myself and the occasional informal gathering. Unless the price is magically low a new mixer isn't really in the budget at the moment either. That said - why would you recommend Rekordbox over the other systems, other than potentially playing in a club?

Pioneer DJ has been making frequent updates to their software more than the other brands. And they appear to keep doing this.
But my main reason is definitely the smooth transition between Pioneer products. I like the UI better than Serato (though I consider Traktor better than the two) but that's my personal preference.